Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Health, delivers remarks at the launch of the JMS-SMART Project, highlighting the importance of stronger, more accountable and resilient health supply chains for Uganda.
Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Health, joins JMS leadership and project partners for a group photo following the official launch of the JMS-SMART Project.
Government and health-sector partners join JMS at the launch of the JMS-SMART Project, reflecting a shared commitment to strengthening the availability, accountability and resilience of health commodities across Uganda.
JMS Executive Director, Dr. Bildard Baguma, speaks at the launch of the JMS-SMART Project, outlining JMS’ commitment to strengthening health supply chains, improving accountability and ensuring reliable access to quality health commodities. 
Joint Medical Store (JMS) has launched the Supply Chain Management and Resilience Transition (SMART) Project, a USD 7.4 million initiative supported by the U.S. Department of State under the America First Global Health Strategy.
The project will strengthen Uganda’s private not-for-profit health supply chain through improved warehousing and distribution, digital supply chain systems, emergency preparedness and response, and institutional capacity.
A key focus will be improving visibility and accountability across the commodity journey. Through digital systems, Government and partners will be better able to track health commodities from the manufacturer, through the central warehouse and health facility store, to the point of care and ultimately the patient.
Launching the project, Hon. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Health, emphasised the importance of end-to-end visibility: “We are going to digitalise the whole process so that we can be able to trace the movement of drugs.”
The Minister said improved tracking will strengthen oversight and help identify gaps or leakages within the supply chain.
Dr. Bildard Baguma, Executive Director, JMS, said: “The JMS SMART Project comes at a time when health systems require supply chains that are efficient, resilient and responsive to disruptions such as disease outbreaks and other emergencies.”
He added that the benefits of the project are expected to extend beyond its implementation period, with JMS committed to sustaining the capabilities and investments developed through the partnership.
The SMART Project represents a shared commitment to building a more connected, transparent and resilient health supply chain, helping ensure that essential commodities move efficiently from source to the people who need them.
